DuBard School, Moffitt Health Center Campaigns Each Top $1 Million

The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation recently completed two special fundraising initiatives that resulted in gifts totaling more than $2.25 million toward the campaigns.

The DuBard School for Language Disorders at The University of Southern Mississippi recently celebrated its 50^th anniversary with a fundraising campaign that netted approximately $1.17 million. The Moffitt Health Center Campaign, launched to help provide a new student health services facility on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus, raised approximately $1.08 million.

“It is always special to be able to celebrate successful fundraising projects. The campaigns for the DuBard School and Moffitt Health Center surpassed the million-dollar mark because of the hard work of steering committee volunteers as well as the staff for each program and the USM Foundation,” said Foundation Executive Director Shannon Fleming. “Strong credit goes to the leaders of the DuBard School and Student Health Services, Dr. Maureen Martin and Dr. Virginia Crawford, for their leadership during the campaign period.” 

For more than 50 years, the DuBard School has helped bring the gift of oral and written language to individuals with communication disorders and reading disabilities, including dyslexia, through use of the DuBard Association Method® in direct clinical services and professional training.

With nearly 150 individuals on a waiting list for full-time and outclient services, the waiting period often approaches two years. Funding received from the Mississippi Department of Education barely covers half of the school's annual budget, thus the DuBard School relies heavily on the generosity of private benefactors and charitable organizations.

“The public-private, university-community partnerships which make the work of the DuBard School possible have impacted the lives of thousands of children and their families, as well as University students and professionals,” said DuBard School Director Dr. Maureen Martin. “We are immensely grateful to all of those who helped us mark 50 years of service by helping to ensure that we are here for children, University students and professionals of the future.”

A United Way agency, the DuBard School serves as a practicum site for University students majoring in speech-language pathology, audiology and or deaf education. It also serves as an observation and practicum site for those in nursing, human performance and recreation, science education, music and social work.

The new Moffitt Health Center, which is set to open in April 2015, will be housed inside Scott Hall as part of the Century Park South residential complex.

Gifts to the Moffitt Health Center Campaign have allowed the facility to increase the square footage dedicated to Student Health Services by 30 percent, providing much-needed space for more efficient laboratory and X-ray activity, larger health care provider work areas and a more accessible pharmacy.

The facility will also feature new classroom space, which will allow the staff to provide a broader range of health education opportunities. The patient environment will improve with the addition of separate sick visit and well visit waiting rooms and 15 private exam rooms that will increase efficiency and patient confidentiality.

“Contributions to the Moffitt Health Center have helped create a lovely new space for present and future students to receive healthcare and this facility will be a cornerstone in the development of a wellness culture for our campuses,” said Dr. Virginia Crawford, director of Student Health Services. “This is a huge step forward for health services. I am so appreciative to all those who have helped make this facility a reality.”

To learn more about these and other fundraising campaigns, contact The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation at 601.266.5210 or visit usmfoundation.com.